Since Saturday evening, Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz has been the center of attention. The Spanish referee for the Espanyol – Real Madrid match delivered a poor performance, and both he and his assistants were criticized for their controversial decisions, often defended by LaLiga.
Real Madrid suffered a frustrating loss in LaLiga. Playing away at Espanyol Barcelona, Carlo Ancelotti’s team lacked precision in front of goal. Referee Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz ruled out a brilliant goal from Vinícius Júnior after an alleged foul by Kylian Mbappé on a defender. The situation worsened when he failed to show Carlos Romero, another Espanyol defender, a clear red card. As KM9 launched a counter-attack, the Espanyol full-back made a dangerously reckless tackle, which he later admitted was wrong.
LaLiga TV reveals the truth
LaLiga distances itself from the referee in the Espanyol – Real Madrid match: breaking news!
While Spanish media widely criticized the referee’s decision to issue only a yellow card, LaLiga’s official TV channel, managed by Javier Tebas, added fuel to the fire. Just after the match ended with Madrid losing 1-0 due to a goal from the player who should have been sent off in the 61st minute, LaLiga’s channel confirmed that Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz’s decision was incorrect. “It’s a clear red card on Mbappé. It’s high, dangerous, he doesn’t play the ball and only intends to take Mbappé out of the game.”
This is a major setback for the Spanish referee and his colleagues. Accused by Florentino Pérez of plotting against Real Madrid, Spanish referees now find it hard to justify their actions. Had Romero been correctly sent off, the game could have turned out very differently. Espanyol, already under heavy pressure from Ancelotti’s team, would have faced even more difficulties with one player down, as Real Madrid dominated possession, finishing with over 70%.
Archivo VAR gives Muñiz a 1/10 rating
Archivo VAR, a media outlet that tracks refereeing decisions in Spain, gave Muñiz Ruiz’s performance a harsh review. “Terrible refereeing from Muñiz Ruiz and VAR during Espanyol – Real Madrid. It’s impossible to do worse. He missed a clear penalty and failed to send Romero off for a dangerous tackle on Mbappé. To top it off, Romero was the one who secured Espanyol’s victory.”
